Democratic Platform Mirrors Obama And Backs Same-Sex Marriage

Democrats unanimously voted today to endorse same-sex marriage in their party’s platform, the first time a major political party has supported the issue in its statement of policies.

Today’s action at the platform committee meeting in Detroit sends the document for ratification by delegates to next month’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said in May that he supports same-sex marriage. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney doesn’t.

A drafting committee included the same-sex marriage provision in the platform last month. Platform committee members raised no objections.

“The 14th Amendment is very clear — equal protection under the law,” said the platform committee co-chairman, Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey. “We as a party have really embraced the president’s ideas.”